Tie-on ice or water bag



1950 L. E. PRIETZSCH TIE-ON ICE OR WATER BAG Filed Sept. 19, 1958INVENTOR. LEONA E. Pme-rzscu United States PatentO TIE-N ICE 0R WATERBAG Leona E. Prietzsch, Venetia, Pa. Application September 19, 1958,Serial No. 762,075 3 Claims. Cl. 150-23 This invention relates toimprovements in combined ice and hot water bags, and more particularlyto an improved miniature tie-on bag of this kind, for either hospital orhome use.

7 That primary object of the invention is to provide a more practicaland eflicient device of the character indicated, for application of coldor heat to localized areas of body members, which is adapted to be tiedto the body member, so as to make the device suitable foruse byambulatory patients and others, and eliminate the need for holding thedevice in place with the hand or hands, and/or bandages and coverings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a small lightweight andcompact device of the character indicated above whose container is ofminimal size and bulk, yet sufiiciently large to hold two or threeice-cubes or a correspondingly effective amount of hot water, so thatthe application of cold or heat can be desirably limited to affectedareas of body members, and the device presents no burden or inconvenientincumbrance to patients.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter indicated above whose container is preferably made ofnon-sweating or sweat-producing material, and requires no absorbentcover to eliminate objectionable moisture at the points of contact withpatients, and at the same time reduce or eliminate the objectionableshock to the skin of patients characteristic of application of cold orhot rubber bags thereto.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lower cost butmore desirable and rugged device of the character indicated above, whichis readily susceptible of being attractively colored for patient appeal,and wherein the tie strings or straps are secured to the container torotate around the neck of the container, both for ease in applicationand adjustment of the device and for elimination of lifeshortening wearand strains on the container and straps.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description, and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a device of the invention appliedto the forehead of a patient;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken through saiddevice, the tie strings or straps being abbreviated;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,rotated positions of the strings or straps being shown in full and inphantom lines;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tieviews, theillustrated device, generally designed 10, com- I prises a flexible butshape-retaining container 12, preferably of elongated rectangular shape,and desirably about four and one-half inches long and three inches wide,and

made of moisture repellant materials, such as Zelan, combed Dacron andcotton blend, poplin, and permissibly but less desirably rubber. rubber,adequately confine liquid within the container 12, and have theadditional purpose of eliminating the sweating produced by rubbermaterials, and the skin shocks,

incidental to application of cold or hot rubber bags to the skin ofpatients. In addition, such non-rubber materials lend themselves tobeing variously and gayly colored for better patient acceptance and toenhance the attractiveness and sales appeal of the device.

- a The container 12 comprises a relatively flat bottom verse crosssections of the container are not limited to. being rectangular, asshown, butcan be varied to accom modate the container to differentapplications.-

Secured in the container top wall opening 22 and cittending above thetop wall 20, is a rigid circular tubular,

neck 28 having internal screw threads 30, into which is adapted to bethreaded the stopper 32 of a closure;-

plug 34' having an enlarged disc head 36 adapted to bias sealingly uponthe upper or outer edge of the neck 28. Suitable materials for the neck28 and the plug 34 are molded plastics, and lightweight non-corrosivemetals, and the like.

An external annular rib 35 on the lower end of the neck 28 is providedwith an encircling annular groove 38 into which is suitably secured theedge 41 of the container top wall opening 22, as shown in Figure 2, sothat the neck 28 is firmly assembled to the container.

Mounted rotatably and removably on the neck 28 is a tie-string or strapassembly, generally designated 40, which comprises a relatively rigidcircular flat ring 42, of non-corrosive metal or plastic, having fixedon its lower edge two diametrically opposed outwardly projecting cars 44having therein transverse slots 46, through which are looped andsuitably secured, as indicated at 48, elongated flexible, and preferablyfiat tie-strings or straps 50. The ring 42 is only slightly larger indiameter than the container neck 28 and is freely and rotatablycircumposed thereon, and held in place by the plug head 36. The assembly40 can be quickly and easily removed and replaced when desired, as whenworn or soiled.

As shown in Figure 5, when not in use, the device can be made compactfor storage, by flattening or compressing the container 12, and bywinding the tie-straps 50 around the ring 42 and the neck 28 and tyingtheir ends together.

When the device 10 has been filled with ice-cubes or hot water (notshown) the container bottom wall 14 is applied to the immediate area ofa body member to be treated, as to a limited area of the forehead 52,and the straps 50 pulled around the patients head 54 and tied at theirends therebehind, so that the device 10 is held secured and properly inplace, without the use of the hands of the patient or nurse, or bandagesor covers, so that the patient is free to move about without concern forproper retention of the device 10 in place, and with Patented Jan. 5,1960 Such materials, other than the container is eliminated in' allcrosswise or diagonal Further, the tethering of the positions of thestraps. straps 50, by means of the ring 42 to the neck 28 puts the mainpull of the straps 50 on the neck and at the center of the container, soas to eliminate undistributed strains and stresses and prolong theuseful life of the device.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred from ofthe invention, it is to beunderstood that the invention is notnecessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in thestructure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof arecontemplated as being Within the scope of the invention as defined bythe claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A combined ice and water bag comprising a flexible container havingahottom wall for application to a body area to be treated and a topwall, a relatively rigid tubular neck secured in a centralized openingprovided in said top wall, a closure plug securably and removablyengaged in and closing said neck, a pair of diametrically opposed tiestraps having free outer ends and inner ends,

and means connecting the inner ends of'the strapto said neck, said plughaving an enlarged head extending beyond the sides of the neck, and saidconnecting means comprising a ring rotatably and removably circumposedon said neck and retained by the enlarged head.

2. A combined ice and Water bag comprising a flexible container having abottom wall for application to a body areato be treated and a top wall,a relatively rigid tubular neck secured in a centralized openingprovided in said top wall, a closure plug securably and removablyengaged in and closing said neck, a pair of diametrically opposed tiestraps having free outer ends and inner ends, and means connecting theinner ends of the straps to said neck, said plug having an enlarged headextending beyond the sides of the neck, and said connecting meanscomprising a ring rotatablyand removably circumposed on said neck andretained by the enlarged head, and external diametrically opposed earsfixed on said ring to which the inner ends of the tie straps aresecured.

3. A combined ice and water bag comprising a flexible container having abottom wall for application to a body area to be treated and a top wall,a relatively rigid tubular neck secured in a centralized openingprovided in said top Wall, a closure plug securably and removablyengaged in and closing said neck, a pair of diametrically opposed tiestraps having free outer ends and inner ends, and means connecting theinner ends of the straps to said neck, said plug havingan enlarged headextending beyond the sides of the neck, and said connecting meanscomprising a ring rotatably and removably circumposed on said neck andretained by the enlarged head, and

external diametrically opposed ears fixed on said ring to which theinner ends of the tie-straps are secured,

said container having rounded corners at the junctures of the top wallwith side and end walls of the container, and said tie-straps when inuse bearing supportably and non-abrasively upon the top wall and relatedcorners of the container.

Referencescited' in theme of this patent" UNITED STATES PATENTS 685,894Williams Nov. 5, 1901 1,506,516 Craig Aug. 28, 1924 1,567,931 Epler Dec.29, 1925" 1,603,001 Carter Oct. 12,1926-

